Family Quilts and December Mini

 I'll start off with the mini, which is another cheat (ahem..)  as I made this in 1999. But it has a story, so that should gain me some points, right?

 The story behind this little quilt is, my mom had ordered the pattern from a magazine sometime in the 1950's, but never got around to making the quilt. 

Backing up a few decades ... my mom grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, the youngest of eleven children.  Quilts were made, but who knows what ever happened to them. One was a Sunbonnet Sue, which my mom was particularly fond of, but could never track it down after her dad lost the farm and all her siblings had scattered. She talked about that quilt from time to time, always with sense of loss. 

At some point she decided to make her own Sunbonnet Sue quilt, but probably got sidetracked with raising four kids, and sewing clothes for us, plus the cousins, neighbors, and everybody else as well. Sometime in the late '90's I found the pattern while rummaging through her sewing room. She said at that point she had no interest in making it, but I thought maybe I could make it for her. I also brought home some fabrics she had squirreled away, apparently intended for quiltmaking. 

The pattern was for a much larger quilt, and I think Mom was a little disappointed when I presented her with a wall hanging. But as you know I am not fond of applique, and although the applique in these couldn't have been easier, after six blocks I figured I was done. Plus I had just enough of her fabric to complete this small quilt, so there you have it. 

 

 While digging around in the trunk, I found one my mom did make. This sweet old quilt was made for my baby brother, right around 1960. Its one of only two quilts that Mom made once she was married.

I'm not sure the origin of those fabrics, as I don't think they're scraps from any of our clothing. It looks like she even made a make-do block.

I brought this home with the intent to salvage the butterflies and make a new quilt, but my friend Carmel, who studies quilts, said I should preserve it as-is. Sadly, it lives in my trunk. I do treasure it though, because its  history. And it shows just what she had to work with as a young mother without a lot of discretionary income. Much of the quilt is made from old sheets, including the batting which is flannel sheet. 

Further digging in the trunk ... 

 

 

... revealed this one, made by  Mom's sister Milly, who was the only one in the family (that I know of) who seriously continued the quilt making tradition. She gave me this quilt when I was in my early 20's and just moved in to my first apartment. As you can see, it is well used and worn. And obviously not re-folded in a long time - shame on me.

And humble. Aunt Milly was not a purist when it came to fabric. The brown print is some kind of polyester double-knit, which she used shamelessly in many of her quilts.

 I love the wide binding, and the big stitches! 

These are now hanging outside, for a good air-out. 

I will post a link to Wendy's blog, once she publishes the Monthly Mini's for December. 

 

love, Sandy